Bowling ball return



July 30, 1963 w, FLOOD 3,099,445

BOWLING BALL RETURN Filed Aug. 3, 1961 IN V EN TOR:

United States Patent 3,0 9,445 BOWLING BALL RETURN Elgene W. Flood, deceased, late of Chicago, 111., by Rosalie T. Flood, administratrix, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Rosalie T. Flood Filed Aug. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 139,230 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-47) This invention is directed to the game of bowling, and especially to improved means for controlling ball movement and positioning on its return from the pin area to the bowlers area.

In the course of bowling, the normal setup in the bowlers area is to provide a bowling ball return that serves a plurality of alleys on each side of the return. As the ball returns, it is guided onto a gently inclined trough, where it rolls under influence of gravity toward one end of the trough, where it awaits the bowler. In the usual installation, the trough simply extends longitudinally between two alleys or lanes, and the ball may gravitate either toward the front or the rear of the return. Thus, in the normal course of bowling, a bowler will pick his ball up for his first shot in any frame either at the front or the rear of the return, and will pick his ball up for his second shot in that frame at the opposite end, i.e., the rear or front, of the return.

During this time, if no one is actively using the other alley or alleys, a bowler on one alley can readily obtain his ball from the front of the return and proceed with his game. However, if a bowler is then using alley or lane two, courtesy and custom demand that the one bowler wait until the bowler in lane two has the opportunity of throwing his ball before bowler one attempts to retrieve his ball from the front of the return. This not only prolongs the game on alley one, but causes irritation to the bowler on lane two who must either hurry to throw the ball or take time out to permit the bowler on lane one to retrieve his ball. Obviously in either case, there is interference which can be annoying as well as cause a loss of time. Under such conditions, it takes longer to play the game and consequently the bowling alley owner also finds it uneconom-ical.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved bowling ball return that places the ball on both the first and second shots within the reach of the player at the rear of the alley without interference to other bowlers on the alleys adjacent the ball return means.

A further object of this invention is to accelerate the playing of the game by eliminating the interference previously existing at the time of retrieving the balls.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an installation adapted for use with present conventional over or under the fioor ball returns, whereby all bowling lanes can readily be converted to the improved ball return.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art from the following descriptive disclosure of a preferred embodiment. Though for simplicity, only one preferred embodiment is illustrated and described, it is to be clearly understood that this invention is not limited to the specific embodiment for it obviously can be varied widely and still be within the fundamental principles as defined further hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of the improved ball return of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken along line 3--3 of FIGURE 2.

Positioned within the ball throwing area 10 of a bowling establishment between two alleys or lanes 11 is the ball return means of the improved type. It comprises a ball lift section 12 for elevating the ball whether the ball be returned below the tloor level as shown herein or at floor level. wherein the ball 14 running on the return track '16 rolls upwardly under its momentum through the section 12 and onto the upper track 18, which is inclined for-wardly downward. Here the ball rolls downwardly under the influence of gravity through another inwardly facing loop 26) and continues to roll on the intermediate or storage track 22, which is inclined rearwardly downward. The ball will continue to roll on this track \22 until it abuts another ball or reaches the end 24. Here it abuts against the snubber or stop 26 and will come to a complete rest. This snubber 26 is generally capable of absorbing the shock and stopping the rolling ball .14 from bouncing back.

To slow down further the movement and velocity of the returning ball 14 as it loops through the lift section 12, there is provided about its exit area 28, a restraining or speed reducing deceler-ator 30, against which the ball 14 must impinge as it rolls downwardly on the track 18. In the process of impingement, the ball is slowed down practically to a standstill. 'Ihen under the influence of gravity the ball rolls slowly downgrade on the track 18 to enter the loop 20. As the ball passes through the loop it again accelerates, and to slow the same another decelerator 32 is provided at the exit end 34 of the loop. The ball may then slowly roll down the track 22. until it reaches either the snubber 26' or is stopped by another ball in its path on the track.

Suitable housings 36 and 38 ornamentally conceal the loop sections 12 and 20 respectively, and a housing 40 encloses the space below the track 22.

The ball return unit of the invention is suitably comprised of pipe, rod or tube bent to desired form. Each of the loops 12 and 20 is preferably comprised of four rods defining a ball confining circle of a diameter larger than the largest ball to be handled. These tour rods may be held together at least at their ends by appropriate collars, as shown particularly in FIGURES 2 and 3. Each of the tracks 18 and 22 is preferably comprised of a pair of spaced parallel rods, as shown particularly in FIGURE 1. The enclosure means 36, 38 and 40 may be formed of any suitable material, such as sheet metal, molded plastic, plastic sheeting, etc. Consequently, the entire unit is extremely simple and economical, and may be installed in conjunction with either above the floor or below the floor returns in a most expedient manner.

Dimensionally, the unit is of a length to hold 10* balls on the lower track 22, and or a height to dispose both of the tracks 18 and 22 at a conveniently accessible elevation about floor level. In the preferred embodiment of the unit, the lower track 22 has a minimum elevation of about 15 inches and a length of about 63 inches; the upper track has a maximum elevation of 35 inches; and the overall dimensions of the unit are 10 feet long and 42 inches high. The unit has the particular advantage that it is not significantly wider than a ball, whereby it does not use up valuable floor space or constitute an obstruction to bowlers. The unit is preferably located so that the rearward ends of the tracks 18 and 22 are just rearwardly of the bowleris starting position on the alley approach.

In use, a first bowler may secure his ball from the rearward end of the lower track 22 and step up to his starting position on one alley 11. As he removes his The lift section 12 is of the reversing type ball, the remainder gravitate rearwardly on the track 22 so that a second bowler may pick up his ball at the rearward end of the track 22 and assume a waiting position on the second lane or alley without in any way interfering with the first bowler. As soon as bowler one has thrown his ball on lane one, bowler two may prepare to roll his ball on lane two. In the meantime, bowler one, assuming he did not make a strike, may Walk to the rear of the return unit, where he does not interfere with bowler two and await return of his ball while bowler two is rolling. When the ball of bowler one is returned, it will roll slowly out of the housing 36 at the rear of the unit onto track 18, at which point bowler one may retrieve his ball for his second shot without interfering with bowler two. Bowler one can then assume a ready position while bowler two completes his first shot. Then, bowler one can complete his second shot without interference or distraction while bowler two awaits return of his ball and his second shot at the rear of the return unit, and even while a third bowler approaches the rear of the unit and secures his ball from the lower track to follow bowler one on lane one. Bowler two will of course retrieve his ball for his second shot 'from the rearward end of track 18. When bowler one has taken his second shot and returns to his seat, his ball when it is returned :will roll through the entire return unit and back onto the track 22 at the tor-ward end of the track. As bowling proceeds in rotation, bowler ones ball will gradually be returned in sequence to the rearward end of the track 22 where it will be located when it is again his turn to bowl. Thus, he may retrieve his ball from the rear of the alley without distracting other bowlers.

Though the invention as described hereinabove and further illustrated in the annexed drawing is directed to a specific embodiment, nevertheless, it is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiment for obviously it can be modified considerably and still be included within the fundamental principles underlying this invention as defined by the hereunto appended claims.

Accordingly, it is claimed:

1. A bowling ball return adapted to provide ready accessibility for balls near the end Otf bowling lanes having a ball returning track, comp-rising a first upright generally semi-circular ball loop communicating at its lower end with the ball returning track for receiving returning balls and elevating the same, ball decelerating means adjacent the upper end of said first ball loop for decelerating each ball as it exits from said first loop, an upper track sloping downwardly and forwardly at a slight inclination from the upper end of said first loop, a second upright 5 generally semi-circular ball loop smaller than the first communicating at its upper end with the forward end of said upper track to lower balls therefrom, ball decelerating means adjacent the lower end of said second loop for decelerating each ball as it exits from said second loop, a holding track sloping downwardly and rearwardly at a slight inclination from the lower end of said second loop between said upper track and the ball returning track, said holding track terminating adjacent an intermediate portion of said first loop, and a snubber at the lower rearward end of said holding track, the entire return being of a width not substantially in excess of the diameter of a bowling ball.

2. A bowling ball return of a width not substantially in excess of the diameter of a bowling ball, comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced inwardly facing upright semicircular ball guiding loops, one larger than the other, an upper ball carrying track sloping downwardly at a slight inclination from the upper end of said one loop to the upper end of the other loop and having a maximum elevation of about thirty-five inches, a storage track sloping downwardly at a slight inclination in the reverse direction from the lower end of said other loop to adjacent the intermediate portions of said one loop and having a minimum elevation of about fifteen inches, and a ball stop at the lower end of said storage track, both of said tracks being readily accessible for removal of balls therefrom.

3. A bowling ball return of a width not substantially in excess of the diameter of a bowling ball comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced, inwandly facing upright semi-circular ball guiding loops, one larger than the other, a pair of longitudinally extending ball carrying tracks overlying one another in the space between said loops, the higher level track being connected at its ends to the upper levels of said loops and sloping downwardly at a slight inclination tromsaid one loop to said other loop, the lower level track being connected at one end to the lower end of said other loop and sloping downwardly at a slight inclination from said other loop to adjacent the intermediate pontions of said one loop, and a ball stop on the opposite end of said lower level track, said tracks being spaced vertically from one another and both being readily accessible for removal of balls therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 642,801 Mclntire Feb. 6, 1900 1,857,881 Scott et al May 10, 1932 2,597,072 Cowgill May 20, 1952 2,796,261 Turner June 18, 1957 

3. A BOWLING BALL RETURN OF A WIDTH NOT SUBSTANTIALLY IN EXCESS OF THE DIAMETER OF A BOWLING BALL COMPRISING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED, INWARDLY FACING UPRIGHT SEMI-CIRCULAR BALL GUIDING LOOPS, ONE LARGER THAN THE OTHER, A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BALL CARRYING TRACKS OVERLYING ONE ANOTHER IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID LOOPS, THE HIGHER LEVEL TRACK BEING CONNECTED AT ITS ENDS TO THE UPPER LEVELS OF SAID LOOPS AND SLOPING DOWNWARDLY AT A SLIGHT INCLINATION FROM SAID ONE LOOP TO SAID OTHER LOOP, THE LOWER LEVEL TRACK BEING CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE LOWER END OF SAID O HER LOOP AND SLOPING DOWNWARDLY AT A SLIGHT INCLINATION FROM SAID OTHER LOOP TO ADJACENT THE INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS OF SAID ONE LOOP, AND A BALL STOP ON THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID LOWER LEVEL TRACK, SAID TRACK BEING SPACED VERTICALLY FROM ONE ANOTHER AND BOTH BEING READILY ACCESSIBLE FOR REMOVAL OF BALLS THEREFROM 